Floor-joist-boring machine



Dec., 2, 1924.

R. H. HENDERSON FLOOR JOIST BORING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1925 ATTORNEYS.

Fatented Dec. 2, 1924.

ROBERT nALsnY HENDERSON, or EAST ORANGE, new JERSEY.

Application led March 2, 1923. Serial IO. 622,242.

To all whom t may con/Cera.:

Be it known that l, llonnnr Hanser HEN- DERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at. East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Floor-,loist-Boring Machines; and .y

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperta-ins to make and use the same, vreference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a` part of this specification.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in collapsible hand driven machines for boring'joists for electric light wiring, and particularly to that class of machines which are used for boring joist-s, beams, sleepers or the like located below the floor level.

.lt is the object of my present invention to provide a light weight portable and collapsible floor joist or beam boringniachine especially constructed and designed to perform the boring operations so as to produce straight and true horizontal holes, and so as to render the same not alone easily ma.- nipulated ybut also easily controlled and handled while the workman stands in an easy and comfortable position.

My invention has for a further object to provide a novel arrangement and construction of supporting bar having a novel clamp device for adjusting the bit carrying standard and operz'lting elements so Ithat holes may be bored at-various selective distances below the `floor line, while at the same time always maintaining' a proper alinement of the supporting or foot bar relative to the bit; and, furthermore, I provide a novel hand-grip device in connection with the standard, which also serves to interlock the telescop-ic sections of the latter in operative extended relation one to the other, while at the same time determining the proper eX- tended position and adjust-ment of said sections whereby the drive chain is maintained in true and straight running alinement at a proper tension.

Other objects of this invention, not atl this time. 4more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

With the various objects of my present invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel construction of floor joist or beam boring machine hereinafter set forth, and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the `construction of the same, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described, and then finally embodied in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in `the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is: a side elevation of the colla-psible floor joist or beam boring machine arranged in extended operative position, the same being made accordingl to and embodying the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Figure 3 is a fragmentary central longitudinal section drawn on an enlarged scale, and taken on line 3-3 in said Figure 2; Figure l is a fragmentary central longitudinal section drawn on an enlarged scale, and taken on line 4 4: in said Figure 2; and Figure 5 is another fragmentary central longitudinal section also drawn on an enlarged scale, and 'taken on line 5--5 in said Figure 2. 1 l `Similar characters of reference are employed .in all of the hereinabove described views, to vindicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference characterG indicates a lower tubular column' or standard section, to the lower end of which is fixed a. bifurcated bearing yoke 7, the arms 7 of which Aare provided with bearing openings 8 in which Vis Vjournaled a hollow shaft or sleeve 9. Fixed on said hollow shaft or sleeve 9 in any suitable manner, and disposed in the space between the arms 7, of the bearing yoke 7, is a sprocket wheel 10. Inserted within said hollow shaft or sleeve V9 is a split chucksleeve 1l, made i'n two semi-cylindrical longitudinal sections, and adapted to conform to and embrace the butt l2 of a boring` bit or auger 13 which projects outwardly from the end of the said shaft or sleeve. Said chuck-.sleeve ll is secured against withdrawal from said shaft or sleeve 9., and is at the same time connected therewith to receive therefrom and thus impart to said boring bit or auger 18 operative rotary motion, by means of a transverse Cotter-pin or key lll. Running oversaid sprocket wheel 1U is :m endless link belt or drive chain l5.

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1 wir. J 'cui lhe reference charac-ter 16 indicates an upper tubular column or standard section, which is telescopically sli'dable over the upper end of said column or standard seetion 6. Fixed in connection with the upper end of said column or section 16 is a bifurcated bearing yoke 17, the arms 17l of which are provided with bearing openings 18 in which is journaled a shaft or sleeve 19. Fixed on said shaft or sleeve 19 in any suitable manner, and disposed in the space between the arms 17 of said bearing yoke 17, is an idler sprocket wheel 20. The upper loop or end oit said link belt or chain 15 runs over and is guided by said idler sprocket wheel 20. Since by virtue oit the construction above described, the standard, consisting of the members 6 and 16, the sprockets and 2() and the chain 15 all occupy a common plane, it will be apparent that, in operation, the standard more steadily sustains the stress of the chain, and likelihood ot tilting of the standard out of desired perpendicular position, when operating the device, is minimized.

Associated with the cooperating ends ot said columns or standard sections 6 and 16 is a combined hand-grip device and lock clamp serving vto interlock said columns or standard sections together in operative extension, whereby the same are secured against accidental collapse when the machine is in use, and which further serves to automatically aline and longitudinally space the sprocket wheels carried by the respective sections so that the drive chain will run straight and true at a proper tension. Said combined hand-grip and lock clamp comprises a sleeve or terrule 21 fixed upon and surrounding the lower extremity ot' said upper column or standard section 16. Said sleeve or terrule 21 is provided on its rear side or face with a lateral. boss 22 having an interiorly screw-threaded opening 23 extending therethrough, and an opening 24; registered with the inner end ot' the threaded opening 23 is provided in the wall ot said column or standard section 16. The wall of said lower column or standard section 6 is provided, at one side adjacent to its upper extremity, with an opening or eye 25, which, when said upper column or standard section 16 is raised to extended operative position, is brought into alinement with the threaded opening 23 of said boss 22. The reference character 26 indicates a laterally projecting hand grip member, the inner end of which is externally sorewthreaded to screw into the threaded opening 225, and when said opening or eye is properly positioned in alinement with said threaded opening 23, the inner end et said hand gripk member may be screwed inwardly to pass its inner extremity through said opening or eye 2o and thus into binding or holding relation to said lower section 6 by engaging the inner surface ot the wall ot the latter at a point diametrically opposite said opening or eye 25, thus locking the two standard sections 6 and 16 together in operative extended relation against accidental collapse, and with their respective bearing yokes disposed to properly longitudinally space and aline the sprockets associated therewith so that the drive chain will run straight and true thereover at a desired predetermined tension. This method and means oi interlocking the standard sections together being substai'itially in accordance with the principles and structure covered by my prior United States Letters Patent for overhead boring machines, issued August 22nd, 1922, and numbered 1,426,476. in order to retain the hand-grip member trom accidental loosening l provide on the threaded shank thereof a lock-nut which may be screwed home against the tree end of said boss 22 when the parts are operatively arranged as above described. lt will be noted that the hand-grip member will projectrearwardly from the carrying standard at a point substantially midway between its ends when extended, and thus conveniently disposed to enable the operator to balance and control the bit carrying standard and associated parts when operatively utilizing the same.

Associated with the lower column or standard section 6, above the bearing yoke 7 and mechanism supported by the latter, is an adjustable supporting or foot bar 2S having depending iianges or runners 29 projecting from its longitudinal sides, which arrangement provides an arched contormation in. cross-section, rendering the supporting or toot bar ot comparatively light weight and yet extremely strong, and consequently adequate to support the weight. oit a workman utilizing the machine, as will later appear. Said supporting or tootbar vis provided intermediate its ends with an opening 30 through which may upwardly extend said column or standard section 6. Secured upon said supporting or .toot bar is a bracket member 31 adapted to project upwardly .trom the upper face of the former. Connected with the upper end ot said bracket-member 81 is a horizontal arm or lng 32 which is spaced upwardly 'trom and disposed parallel to said supporting or t'oot bar. Said arm or lug 32 is provided with an opening 33 vertically alined above the opening 30 oit said. sujiporting or toot bar, and through which may also upwrdly extend said column or standard section 6. rl`he lower portion ot said column or standard section 6 is provided with a series ot Avertically alined and lilo spaced openings or eyes 3l. Said b 'i cket member il is provided with an internally screw-threatted opening in which is threaded the shank 3G of a thumb or clamp screw 237. Said shank 3G of the clamp screw may be passed through a` selected opening or eye 34 until its free end bites on the opposite inner side of the column or standard section wall, thus forcing said column or standard into bound relation to the supporting or foot bar to hold the same against vertical movement, and thus hold securely, in desired adjusted position beneath the supporting or foot bar, the boring bit mechanism. The selected vertical adjustment of the carrying standard relative to the supporting or foot bar, which is attainable by vthe above described mechanism, is desirable since it. permits the boring bit to be variously positioned to bore holes through the joists or beams at di'fferent distances below the floor line. Such adjustability is desirable since it is frequently necessary to run several circuits in the saine general location, in which case the holes for 'the respective circuits may be bored at different levels thus obviating the necessity for taking up a-ny great area of flooring, all of which is of especial advantage when wiring old buildings in which it is desirable to disturb as little of the fiooring as possible.

Owing to the fact that the holes or eyes 34 in the standard section G are disposed parallel to the supporting or foot bar, the clamp screw 37 when operatively engaged with said standard section 6 throngh one of said holes or eyes 34 will so position the section as to hold the supporting or foot bar and auger bit in parallel alined relation one to the other, which is a very necessary condition for easy boring, for if the supporting or foot bar and auger bit are not in such parallel alinement, the bit tends to travel ahead in one diverging direction and the supporting or fool bar in another diver-ging direction which creates a tendency' of the bit to bind or jam in the hole being bored.

Since the clamp-screw 37 bites aga-inst the inside of the standard section 6, opposite the operative hole or eye 34, it follows that the outside surface of the standard section 6 is not scarred from repeated tightening, and consequently all burs or scars on the outside of the standard section G tending to impede smooth and easy movement of the latter through the openings or passages 30 and 33 of the same and of said arm of the bracket member 31 are avoided; and, furthermore, since the clamp-screw passes through the wall of the standard section G, the latter is securely prevented from accidental slipping out of longitudinal adjustment (even if the clamp-screw is accidentalq ly loosened), which might result in damage caused by the bit head sliding or dropping down and breaking itln'ough the plastered ceiling of the rooms beneath in cases where the machine is being yused in wiring opera` tions in connection with old buildings.`

It will be noted that the supporting or foot bar is not flat on its under side but possesses two runners (formed by the `longitudinal flanges 29) which minimize the friction when ymoving the same forward across the joists or beamsto feed the auger bitI `in operation.

In operating the machine, after adjustg ing the standard section 6 to `position the auger bit at desired distance below the Afloor line, the supporting or foot bar is placed in bridging position over a Ipair of joists or beams to position the auger bit opposite the joistor beam desired topbe Vbo'iet'hand the operator grasps 'the hand-grip 26 with the left hand while at the same 'time 'placing his left foot on the supporting or foot bar with' the toe abutting the standard section 6. The operator steadies the carry'ii'ig standard with the left hand and presses forward with the left foot to slide I`the supporting or foot bar forward to carry the point of the auger bit in engagement with the joist or beam to be bored. Due to the fact that the standard, sprockets andchain all occupy common plane, the laterally offset handle affords the mostl convenient means for steadying the standard when starting in the bit in the manner described. The bitis then started by pulling down on the chain 15 with the right hand, thus rotating the bit and starting the same forward into the joist or beam. lNhen the bit is thus fairly started the operator may remove his left hand from 'the hand-grip and apply the same to the opposite side of the chain pulling upwardly thereon, th us' employing both hands to actuate the chain and rotate the bit while constantly pressH ing forward with the left foot to feed the latter forward during` the boring operation. To finish the hole the hand-grip is again grasped as at first and forward pressure is applied by the hand and footy to force the bit through the oist or beam after the screw point of the bit has lost its hold. To back out the bit, the operator pulls rearwardly on the hand-grip with the left hand, at the same time reversing the revolution of the bit by pulling upwardly on the chain with the right hand. This method will drive out the bit quickly by means of the spiral twist of the bit, and ordinarily will re nire but one upward pull on the chain. *rom the above description it will be clearly apparent that the operator may easily and quickly control the machine at the critical starting and backing operations, and is at the same time enabled to use both hands to apply power to the bit during the major portion of the boring operation, being assured by the novel ar 1angement of the supporting means that the bit will travel straight and true without jamming once the same is started.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the above described general construction and details ot oist boring machine without departing from the scope ot' this invention as set iforth in the Yforegoing speci- .cationl and as defined in the appended claims. I'Ience, I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations ot the several devices and parts as described in said specitication, nor do limit myself to the exact details of the construction. of the same as illustrated in the accompanying` drawings.

I claim l. In a device of the kind described, a carrying standard having axially alined bearing means at its upper and lower end, sprocket wheels respectively journaled in vsaid bearing means, an endless drive chain running over said sprocket wheels, all whereb-y said standard, sprocket wheels and chain occupy a common plane, means tor coupling an auger bit in driven relation to said lower sprocket wheel, a transverse supporting foot bar vertically adjustable on said carrying standard above said lower bearing means, ineans for locking said toot bar in desired adjusted upwardly spaced and longitudinally parallel relation to said auger bit, and said carrying standard having a rearwardly projecting hand grip member intermediate its upper and lower ends offset from the plane of said standard, sprocket wheels and chain.

2. In a device oit the kind described, the combination with a carrying standard of a transverse supporting toot bar having an opening through which said carrying standard slidably extends, a bracket member lined on said foot bar having at its upper end a bracket arm spaced above and alined paralm lel with said toot bar, said bracket arm havn ing an opening vertically alined with the opening ot said foot bar to also permit the upward sliding' extension ot said carrying standard therethrough, said carrying standard having a series of vertically alined and spaced eyes in its wall adjacent to its lower end and, a clamp-screw threaded through said bracket member parallel to said toot bar to extend through a selected eye to force said carrying standard into clamped engagement with said foot bar and said bracket arm :t'or the purposes described.

3. In a device ot the kind described, a collapsible standard comprising a pair of telescopica-ily associated tubular sections, a rotatable boring bitmeans having a driving sprocket fixed to the lower end of the lower section, a rotatable idler sprocket mounted on the upper end of the upper section, an endless drive chain running over and betweeen said sprockets, a hand grip device having a threaded inner end in lateral threaded engagement with the meeting end ot' one section, the meeting end of the opposite section having an aligning eye in its wall through which the biting end o tf said hand grip device is passed into binding engagement wit-h the inner surface of said section at a point opposite said eye to interlock said sections in operative extended and alined relation, a transverse supporting foot bar vertically adjustable on said lower section above said boring bit means, and means for locking said foot bar in desired adjusted upwardly spaced and longitudinally aarallel relation to the bit ot said boring means.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day ot February, 1923.

ROBERT I-IALSICY HENDERSOV.

litnesses z FLORA MILLER, GEORGE D, ItcHARDs. 

